Why might mould damage teeth?

The retrieved studies do not directly test whether mold exposure damages teeth, but they document a clear indirect pathway: mold triggers chronic inflammation and respiratory infections that are linked to enamel defects.

The evidence shows that residential mold and dampness increase rates of respiratory tract infections in children, including tonsillitis and common colds [3]. A large Danish study of 42,720 children found that mold or dampness exposure raised the rate of tonsillitis by about 19% and the rate of common colds by about 9% [3]. These infections matter for teeth because a separate study of 456 children found that prior systemic infections were a predisposing factor for white spot enamel defects [2]. Another study of 1,344 Chinese children showed that enamel hypoplasia (incomplete enamel formation) was strongly associated with higher levels of cavity-causing bacteria, even after accounting for existing cavities [1]. The mechanism is straightforward: enamel that forms imperfectly during childhood has surface irregularities that trap bacteria and resist cleaning.

The link between mold and tooth damage is indirect but biologically plausible. Mold exposure drives respiratory infections and systemic inflammation [3, 4]. Those infections, especially during the years when permanent teeth are forming, can disrupt enamel development [2]. The resulting enamel defects then become permanent weak spots that collect bacteria and raise cavity risk for life [1]. The evidence does not include a study that directly measured tooth outcomes in mold-exposed versus unexposed children, so the strength of this pathway is inferred rather than proven.

My call: mold exposure likely contributes to tooth damage through infection-driven disruption of enamel formation, but no study has directly tested this link. Confidence: moderate.